Sierra Adventure: Wild Dry Fly Action at San Joaquin

The sunrise this morning marked the third day of our trip. Today, my family decided to hit the San Joaquin River. The San Joaquin is a wild trout stream that is boosted with plants of ten to twelve-inch rainbow trout. However, this year the DFG (Department of Fish and Game) had not stocked any rainbows. The result is slightly tougher fishing for wild trout. We had fished there in the past with good results. My dad and I hoped for similar conditions today.

We arrived at Pumice Campground at 7:30 A.M. The air was frigid, and rang with the biting chill of harsh wind. That still did not stop many hikers from showing up in t-shirts and shorts. My family instead opted for warm layers and neoprene waders. As soon as my dad and I walked down to the river, we immediately spotted the rises from small trout. In my hand I held a spinning rod equipped with  split shot and a #8 hook. Salmon eggs were the bait of choice for me. My father instead held a fly rod with a nine-foot tippet on the end. A #22 Parachute Adam dry fly was tied onto the end. Although my dad immediately began to hook up with some trout, I left in search of the big one.

The biggest rainbow of the day

Ten minutes later I found my fish. It was a nice fifteen-inch rainbow trout that had been hiding behind a  large boulder. Zipping a cast upstream I let the salmon eggs drift down to the fish. It stopped the bait and I set the hook. For three minutes I ran up and down the river, vainly trying to land the fish with my four-pound test. Finally I dragged the fish onto a sandy beach. After taking a few photos, I returned downstream ready for some dry fly action.

A wild rainbow

A rainbow trout that my dad caught

My dad had already caught three trout (smaller ones) when I returned. Tying a Parachute Adam onto my three-weight fly rod I cast upstream. Immediately a eight-inch brook trout smacked the fly. That was the type of action my father and I experienced for the next three hours. Finally we ended the day with a combined total of nine trout. A mix of brooks, browns, and rainbows. My family returned to the hotel and soaked in a hot tub talking about the big ones.